Insomnia
by ithaswhatitisnt
Summary: Linzin, using Kenny Chesney's "Come Over": Lin can't sleep, is lonely, and is aching for Tenzin. She knows it's wrong. Will she give in to her temptation? T for mild Lin swearing; one-shot.


Inspired by Kenny Chesney's song "_Come Over"_. I feel bad, because I didn't originally like Lin when she was introduced, but after everything that happened to her, well, "That lady is my hero". I wish her and Tenzin had worked out. I have nothing against Pema or the Airbender kids, but I think Lin and Tenzin just would have been a better couple overall. I own nothing. I don't own Legend of Korra, Lin, Tenzin, the song "Come Over" (which would be helpful to listen to while you read) or Kenny Chesney. Everything is owned by their respective owners. (Nick, DiMartino and Konitzko *sorry about spelling*, and Kenny Chesney owns himself). Enjoy.

* * *

Lin rolled over in her creaky bed to glare at her clock. By the illumination still shining in her window from Republic City all around her, the city that never slept, she could see it was 12:20. Lin groaned quietly and sat up. She swung her legs around to hang off the side of her bed, and she cradled her head in her hands. Tenzin was working on getting her back on the force, so she didn't have to go anywhere when daylight broke the way she usually did. There was no one else in her miniscule apartment but her. It was quiet, and lonely, and she hated the way her heart ached when she thought about Tenzin working to get her back to her original position of police chief. It was a grand gesture on his part, but he didn't owe her anything anymore. Not after what he did.

Lin left the warmth of her bed and padded barefoot around her apartment, ever the restless, action-ready hero. She got a glass of water, gulped it down, and still wasn't satisfied. She flipped the radio on and searched through the four main channels. Lin was treated to an agricultural report, a recap of the previous night's Pro-Bending match, a weather report, or a gossip channel. She turned the radio off, disgusted with the selections and desperate for something to break the monotonous silence in her apartment.

After a few moments of listening to the bustling streets below her, the streets she used to protect, Lin decided to turn the radio back on, to listen to the weather channel. The reporter told her nothing she didn't already know. Lin got up and went to her doorway. She turned the switch to turn the overhead fan on. It was boiling and steamy in her apartment.

Lin crawled back into bed and lay on her back. She watched the overhead fan blades spin around lazily. She looked over at the clock again. Only 12:25.

"Damn," Lin muttered, rolling on her back again. The cracks running from the corners of the ceiling to the center where the fan was suddenly held a desperate albeit lame appeal for Lin. She began counting the cracks out loud, and in song form; she was frantic for any sort of reprieve from the monotonous solitude.

She finished counting the cracks, all 454 of them decorating her ceiling, and then she was faced with her same dilemma. Lin was wide awake, her brain ready to go and full of thoughts to drive her crazy. Lin tossed a glance to her clock again. 12: 32. She had counted way too quickly. The phone suddenly seemed to glow, and Lin stared at it, a decision forming in her mind. She could call Tenzin, like she used to when they were younger.

"He has Pema and the kids now," Lin reminded herself. "You're all alone." She wasn't, not really, but at that moment, the loneliness was all Lin could feel in a city of thousands.

"Oh, Tenzin," Lin sighed. Just thinking about him or being near him while she was working was enough to bring back a barrage of memories. Lin usually shoved those memories down while she was on duty, but now, out of work and with nothing to look forward to, she thought it might be a good time to review them. Lin closed her eyes and tried to focus on the memories that were in the forefront of her mind…

_"Are you kidding me? _Lin_? You mean to say you actually are going out with the daughter of Toph Beifong?" Pema asked in disbelief, and Tenzin beamed._

_ "I sure am. I really enjoy Lin's company. In fact, I think I might even love her a little bit," Tenzin play-whispered, and Pema glared at him, her mouth agape._

_ "Look, Tenzin, I can't obviously tell you what to do, but take some advice. Lin is a wild one. Have you seen her mother? Honestly, Tenzin, I don't think someone like Lin is your speed, as much as you think you might love her. She's _bad_ for you, Tenzin. She'll only lead to heartache for you, I swear it!"_

_ "Then who do you think is better for me, Pema? Since you seem to know so much?" Tenzin asked with a smirk, and Pema snuggled into his arms. _

_ "I think you know who," Pema giggled, leaning up to kiss him. Lin ducked back behind the wall before Tenzin or Pema could see her and she Metalbent her way up the wall to escape. She ran across the rooftops, tears blurring her vision, and she went home to her mother._

_ "Mom?" Lin called, shutting the front door. "Mom, are you home?"_

_ "I sure am," Toph answered, coming into the front hallway from the kitchen. "What's wrong, sugar?" _

_ "I think Tenzin's gonna dump me," Lin said, her bottom lip quivering and a fresh barrage of tears falling. Toph went to her daughter and wrapped her in a tight embrace. _

_ "Lin, listen to me. If Tenzin wants to dump you, let him. It's his loss. Someday you'll find someone who's a thousand times the man Tenzin is, someone who would rather die than break your heart." Toph opened her arms, and Lin ran to her mother. Toph wrapped her arms around Lin protectively._

_ "Nobody's going to hurt my baby. They'll have to answer to _me_, sugar."_

_ "Thanks, Mom." Lin leaned up to peck her mother on the cheek, and she turned to go confront Tenzin. _

_ "If we're gonna be over, I'd rather people heard I broke his heart rather than the other way around," Lin informed her mother, and Toph smiled. _

_ "That's my girl." Lin dashed out the door and went over to Tenzin's house. Tenzin still lived with his parents in one of the nicest houses in the city. _

_ "He's still a jerk," Lin thought bitterly as she knocked on the door. Tenzin's mom, Katara, answered._

_ "Hey, Lin!" Katara exclaimed, oblivious to the dire situation. "What's up, sweetie?" _

_ "Hello, Katara," Lin said, bowing. "Is Tenzin here?"_

_ "Sure," Katara answered. "Let me get him for you. Tenzin! Lin's here!" A moment later Tenzin appeared on the staircase with one of the most nauseated faces Lin had ever seen. He wasn't comfortable with seeing her. Excellent; her plan would work. _

_ "Not too late, you two; you both have to go to school tomorrow," Katara reminded them, and Lin nodded. _

_ "Let's go upstairs, Tenzin." Tenzin avoided her knowing gaze and he didn't bother to fight her when she slipped her hand into his clammy palm. They silently went upstairs and when they got to Tenzin's room, Lin Metalbent the door shut. She whirled on Tenzin, her transformation from quiet, normal Lin to something feral and mysterious scaring the spirits out of Tenzin. _

_ "What did you mean when you were talking to Pema? Were you going to tell _me_ that we were over?" Lin spat, and Tenzin held up his hands in panicked self-defense. _

_ "Lin, I never intended for you to find out that way. I was going to bring it up in the near future…"_

_ "Those are lies, Tenzin! You've never cared for me at all during this entire relationship, have you? We were friends, and we thought we could be something more. That was a mistake! All of this was a mistake!" She turned away from him, got out of his face, and sighed. It was the sigh of a woman with the weight of the Spirit World on her shoulders. "Tenzin, you can lie to everyone else. You can lie to me, because it's easier for your conscience. But you can't lie to yourself. You know that deep down, you don't want to do this. You don't want to hurt me." Lin managed to bite her lip hard enough to keep the welled-up tears from flowing. She didn't want Tenzin to see her weaker than she appeared. She had to keep the strong façade or else she would lose all respect from him…and anyone he told. _

_ "Lin, you are important to me. I do love you. But honestly, I think you're a little too fast for me…"_

_ "Lie!" Lin blurted out, suddenly whirling around to get back in Tenzin's face. "We are _perfect_ for each other! But you've let that Pema get inside your head and fill it with falsehoods! How old is she, Tenzin? What does she know? She's younger than we are by about what, ten years?" Tenzin opened his mouth to defend Pema's argument, but Lin cut him off. "Tenzin, listen to what you feel inside. Of course your friends are all spiritual wusses who won't want you to stay with…well, someone like me. But you have to know that I'm good for you. We balance each other out! Tenzin, please, if our friendship meant anything to you, tell me that Pema was wrong. Tell me that we are fine." Lin stared at Tenzin's face expectantly. She was panting heavily, and Tenzin could see the unspoken plea in her eyes. He turned away from her hopeful gaze and shook his head._

_ "I'm sorrier than you'll ever know, Lin. But we're done. You're too impulsive. Things are never going to work out. And I want a family. I know you won't give me that. So we have to stop kidding ourselves and end it now," Tenzin said firmly. Lin could feel her heart shatter, all the infinitesimal shards burrowing themselves in her stomach. _

_ "Tenzin, you're wrong. There's never going to be anyone else for you; no one's good enough! And I'm never going to find anyone else. Tenzin, come on. We don't have to do this," Lin begged. Tenzin moved to where Lin was standing, waiting for his final clarification on his decision, and he kissed her forehead mournfully. _

_ "I'll walk you out," he offered, extending his hand to her. Lin slapped it away, and she ran down the staircase, out the front door past a befuddled Katara, and home to her mother. She sobbed the entire story out to Toph as soon as she came through the door. Toph stopped making their supper and went to put her arms around her daughter._

_ "I'm so sorry, sugar. Don't worry, I'll have a few words with Twinkle-toes; we'll get this sorted out."_

_ "It's over, Mom. He doesn't want me anymore," Lin sobbed._

Lin rubbed at her wet eyes as the last of the memory faded away. She hated reliving that scene, the scene where Tenzin tore himself away from her. He hadn't realized that he was taking away one of the few things Lin lived for. The time he had with her was the greatest time of Lin's life. Now here she was, alone in an apartment in a city that she no longer guarded while Tenzin was at home on an island in an enormous house, with a wife and children.

That was the part that had killed Lin the most. He had accused her of not wanting a family. She did want a family more than anything else, even more than succeeding her mother as police chief. Lin only wanted a family with Tenzin as the father of her children. Every time Lin saw Tenzin's children, it was the pain of Amon stealing her bending all over again.

Lin stole another glance at the clock. It was 1:30 and she knew she was not going to get any sleep.

"Screw this," Lin cursed to herself. "He owes me. Besides, even after all these years, there has to be something there still." She picked up the phone and dialed Tenzin's number. It rang four times, and then a drowsy Tenzin greeted her.

"Councilman Tenzin," he yawned.

"Tenzin, it's Lin," Lin started carefully. She heard him gasp, and he then covered the mouthpiece.

"Pema, it's the other council members. I might have to go in for a meeting," Tenzin lied quickly. He got back on the phone with Lin. "What are you doing calling me at 1:30 in the morning, Lin? Couldn't this have waited till tomorrow?"

"Tenzin, you don't know how it feels to be me right now. I need you. Physically." She waited as the gist of her words sunk in, and he hesitated.

"Lin, you know why I can't. If Pema found out…"

"But she won't find out. Who's going to tell her? Look, I know I said I wouldn't call your house. I know I said I would detach myself from your life. But I just can't, Tenzin. Not after everything we've been through. If you loved me at all, if you felt anything for me at all, you would come," Lin pleaded. Tenzin's immediate silence gave her a little hope. He was at least considering her request. That was better than flat-out refusal.

"I have an emergency meeting, Pema," Tenzin told his wife, making sure Lin could hear. Her heart started turning somersaults when he whispered, "I'll be there in about ten minutes." Lin hung up, breathless with excitement. Tenzin, strict, stickler-to-the-rules Tenzin, was willing to cheat on his wife just to make her, Lin, happy.

When Tenzin walked in the door, Lin threw herself at him.

"I know this is wrong and everything, but look, this isn't forever. This is probably just a one-night deal. But Tenzin, you don't know how lonely I've been."

"Lin, I think I know." With that, Tenzin proceeded to strip his clothes off, stripped Lin of her clothes, and brought her back into the bed. The cold bed was then given some much-needed heat.

* * *

After they were finished, Lin laid her head on Tenzin's chest. He had to leave in a few minutes, so Pema wouldn't suspect anything, but she had enjoyed the time he devoted to her.

"Tenzin?" Lin started. "I still love you, you know."

"I know. I still love you, Lin. But it's just a different kind of love. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for you." Lin knew that. Of course she knew that. That was the way Tenzin was.

"I know," she said, giving him a gentle kiss. He kissed her back, but he then shoved her off delicately so he could get his clothes back on.

"I'll call you tomorrow, so we can work on completing your readmission to the force," Tenzin told her after he finished getting dressed, and Lin nodded.

"Thank you for coming," Lin said, and Tenzin gave her a wink as he left.

Lin was not going to be content with being Tenzin's dirty little secret, but if that was all she _could_ have with him, she would take it and be content.

* * *

Aw, Lin! Yes, I didn't write out a sex scene because I am not good at writing them, and yes, this isn't as strong as some of my other fics. I believe it's because A) I'm venturing into a new fandom for writing, and I need time to get into the character's heads, and B) I've gotten rid of a lot of my inspiration for writing. I need to bring it back. I'll work on it.

Reviews are nice. Please?


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